Historical Background

The regional significance of the Olympic Park has been recognized since its inclusion in the Bavarian Monument List in 1998. Due to its international appeal, the idea of applying for UNESCO World Heritage status has been discussed for many years.

One of the most prominent advocates of such an application was Munich’s former Lord Mayor, Dr. Hans Jochen Vogel. He was instrumental in bringing the Olympic Games to Munich in 1972 and took on the patronage of the association Aktion Welterbe Olympiapark e.V. in 2016.

In 1967, the City of Munich launched a design competition, which was won by the architectural team led by Professor Günter Behnisch from Stuttgart. Inspired by early Olympic models, the main sports venues were embedded into natural depressions in the landscape and covered with a transparent tent roof. On October 13, 1967, 17 out of 19 jury members voted in favor of the unconventional design, which was not without controversy. To realize the ambitious tent roof concept, Behnisch & Partner enlisted the expertise of architect Frei Otto and structural engineer Jörg Schlaich. Landscape architect Günther Grzimek was commissioned to develop the open space planning.

The pictograms designed by Otl Aicher are known worldwide. The designer from Ulm was responsible for the visual identity of the Olympic Games from 1967 to 1972. He created a holistic design concept with an universally understandable visual language of shapes and colors. His design approach was intended to complement the aesthetics of the Olympic Park and its iconic tent roof. From posters and park signage to the uniforms worn by volunteers, his typography and design principles were consistently applied across all materials.